{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T07:18:44Z","timestamp":1780471124814,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]],"date-time":"2026-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780272000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are subtle morphological markers of disrupted neuroectodermal development occurring during early gestation. Their increased prevalence has been reported in several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. However, data on MPAs in pediatric psychosis remain limited. This exploratory descriptive study aimed to characterize the occurrence of MPAs and congenital malformations in children presenting with early-onset psychotic symptoms and to illustrate the clinical heterogeneity through two representative cases. Methods: All participants underwent a comprehensive head-to-toe examination by a trained child and adolescent psychiatrist to identify MPAs. Key anatomical regions, including the face, hair vortex, palate, and extremities, were systematically photographed. Results were corroborated by MRI brain screening and consulted with a clinical geneticist. Anomalies were classified using the standardized Elements of Morphology terminology. Results: Among the 19 study participants, seven (37%) were diagnosed with very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS). Identified minor physical anomalies included epicanthus (n = 5), caf\u00e9 au lait spots (n = 2), and discoloured spots (n = 1). Furthermore, major congenital malformations were detected, specifically Arnold\u2013Chiari malformation type I (n = 1), incomplete hippocampal inversion (n = 1), and a temporal cortex malformation (n = 1). Conclusions: MPAs and selected neuroanatomical anomalies were observed in a subset of children with early-onset psychotic symptoms. While the small sample size and absence of a control group limit interpretability, these exploratory findings suggest that systematic physical examination may provide supportive clinical information in the assessment of pediatric psychosis. Larger, controlled studies are needed to clarify whether specific MPAs may serve as early markers of neurodevelopmental vulnerability.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci16060604","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T06:17:31Z","timestamp":1780467451000},"page":"604","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Minor Physical Anomalies and Congenital Malformations Among Children with Psychotic Symptoms: An Exploratory Descriptive Study with Illustrative Clinical Cases"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Zuzanna Ewa","family":"Wi\u015bniewska","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neural Engineering and Space Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona G\u00f3ra, 65-001 Zielona G\u00f3ra, Poland"},{"name":"Centre for Child and Adolescent Treatment in Zab\u00f3r, 66-003 Zab\u00f3r, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4114-7116","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Przemys\u0142aw Temistokles","family":"Zakowicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neural Engineering and Space Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona G\u00f3ra, 65-001 Zielona G\u00f3ra, Poland"},{"name":"Centre for Child and Adolescent Treatment in Zab\u00f3r, 66-003 Zab\u00f3r, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5634-1061","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Skibi\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neural Engineering and Space Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona G\u00f3ra, 65-001 Zielona G\u00f3ra, Poland"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatric Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Pozna\u0144, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"633","DOI":"10.1111\/bdi.12211","article-title":"Minor Physical Anomalies in Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Disorder and the Neurodevelopmental Continuum of Psychosis","volume":"16","author":"Akabaliev","year":"2014","journal-title":"Bipolar Disord."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5758","DOI":"10.2340\/actadv.v103.5758","article-title":"Characteristics of Caf\u00e9-Au-Lait Macules and Their Association with the Neurofibromatosis Type I Genotype in a Cohort of Greek Children","volume":"103","author":"Nasi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Acta Derm. 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Int."}],"container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/16\/6\/604\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T06:47:16Z","timestamp":1780469236000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/16\/6\/604"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["brainsci16060604"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/brainsci16060604","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]]}}}